The impacts of agricultural payments on groundwater quality: Spatial analysis on the case of Slovenia

The European Common Agricultural Policy still follows its primary goals, i.e. quality food at affordable prices and a decent standard of living for farmers, fifty years after its adoption. Moreover, this policy adapts to the changing needs of society and the new challenges, mostly preservation of the environment, nature and biodiversity in rural areas. Although the Common Agricultural Policy receives the largest share of European budget, the funds are decreasing over time, especially direct payments, which aim to provide basic income support to farmers in the European Union. On the other hand, agri-environmental payments are gaining importance. Policy decision-makers should be interested in the question of impacts of growing eco-conditionality of agricultural spending. New insights would help them to be successful in achieving the goals of sustainable agriculture. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the impacts of production support payments and rural development payments on the quality of groundwater. We use the small EU country Slovenia as an example. The baseline indicators are the level of nitrates and pesticides in groundwater, while the impacts were estimated using spatial error model. The results show that direct payments, coupled subsidies and investment grants raise the level of pesticides in groundwater, but do not have any statistically significant impact on the level of nitrates in groundwater. Furthermore, we did not find any statistically significant effects of agri-environmental payments on decrease of groundwater pollution with nitrates. However, our findings revealed that agri-environmental payments are effective in reducing pesticides in groundwater, although only to a limited extent. These results imply a problem of insufficient targeting of agri-environmental measures on the one hand, and suggest that greening of direct payments is necessary and entirely justified.     

Striking difference in response to expanding brood parasites by birds in western and eastern Beringia

Two species of obligate brood‐parasitic Cuculus cuckoos are expanding their ranges in Beringia. Both now breed on the Asian side, close to the Bering Strait, and are found in Alaska during the breeding season. From May to July 2017, we used painted 3D‐printed model eggs of two cuckoo host‐races breeding in northeastern Siberia to test behavioral responses of native songbirds on both sides of the Bering Strait, with particular attention to species that are known cuckoo hosts in their Siberian range. Each host nest was tested after the second egg was laid and, if possible, again 4 days later with a model of a different type. Although our Siberian study site was also outside the known breeding ranges of the cuckoos, we found that Siberian birds had strong anti‐parasite responses, with 14 of 22 models rejected. In contrast, birds in Alaska had virtually no detectable anti‐parasite behaviors, with only one of 96 models rejected; the rejecters were Red‐throated Pipits (Anthus cervinus). Such differences suggest that the cuckoos might successfully parasitize naïve hosts and become established in North America whether or not their historic host species are widely available.     

我国某些常见化石硅藻的环境分析

本文详细研究了中国海表层沉积物中的常见化石硅藻,结果表明,这些种的分布范围及数量变化随环境的不同而变化。因此,根据柱状样品中这些种类数量的变化,能够推断古气候变化,恢复古地理环境,再现海平面波动历程,进而划分、对比第四系地层。     

Interaction of allosteric effectors (ATP,CO2, H+) modulating oxygen affinity of the hemoglobin in the carp,Cyprinus carpio,in vitro

Summary The interaction of allosteric effectors (CO₂, ATP, H⁺) with respect to the oxygen affinity of carp hemoglobin was analyzed by determining oxygen binding curves spectrophotometrically in dilute solutions of stripped hemoglobin at 20°C. The pH range studied was 6.8–8.2.P _CO2 was 0, 10 and 70 mmHg (0, 1.33 and 9.3 kPa). ATP/Hb₄ was 0, 8 and 24. In the presence of either CO₂ or ATP, the effects of the cofactors onP ₅₀ were as expected over the whole pH range. In contrast to other published data, each cofactor also had a significant effect onP ₅₀ in the presence of the other cofactor. Evidence was obtained that oxylabile carbamate is formed by carp hemoglobin and that the formation of carbamate persists at a lower level in the presence of ATP. The results support the view that the binding of ATP to carp hemoglobin requires only one terminal amino group, leaving the other N-terminal of the -chain free to react with CO₂.     

普通小麦栽培品种丰抗13的4B—1D染色体易位的鉴定

通过细胞学观察,在普通小麦栽培品种“丰抗13”和“京红1号”的杂交后代中,发现有多价体出现,这就表明有染色体易位发生。为进一步弄清究竟是哪条染色体发生了易位,我们采用单体测交方法,观察鉴定所有各单体系F_1的花粉母细胞第一次减数分裂中期Ⅰ(以下简称PMCs中Ⅰ)染色体构型。从鉴定结果发现,凡2n=42的F_1 PMCs中Ⅰ出现19~Ⅱ 1~Ⅳ,而2n=41的F_1PMCs中Ⅰ的染色体构型不同,单体与易位有关的两个单体系4B和1D F_1 PMCs中的Ⅰ构型中有部分呈现为19个二价体加1个三价体,即19~Ⅱ 1~Ⅲ,没有单价体,而其余各单体系F_1 PMCs中Ⅰ构型则表现为18个二价体,1个四价体和1个单价体,即18~Ⅱ 1~Ⅰ 1~Ⅳ。因此,可以肯定“丰抗13”存在1个染色体易位,其有关染色体就是4B和1D。     

Immunological studies of ferredoxin-nitrite reductases and ferredoxin-glutamate synthases from photosynthetic organisms

Polyclonal antiserum specific for ferredoxin-nitrite reductase (EC 1.7.7.1) from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardii recognized the nitrite reductase from other green algae, but did not cross-react with the corresponding enzyme from different cyanobacteria or higher plant leaves. An analogous situation was also found for ferredoxin-glutamate synthase (EC 1.4.7.1), using its specific antiserum. Besides, the antibodies raised against C. reinhardii ferredoxin-glutamate synthase were able to inactivate the ferredoxin-dependent activity of nitrite reductase from green algae.These results suggest that there exist similar domains in ferredoxin-nitrite reductases and ferredoxin-glutamate synthases from green algae. In addition, both types of enzymes share common antigenic determinants, probably located at the ferredoxin-binding domain. In spite of their physicochemical resemblances, no apparent antigenic correlation exists between the corresponding enzymes from green algae and those from higher plant leaves or cyanobacteria.Abbreviations Fd ferredoxin - GOGAT glutamate synthase - MV⁺ reduced methyl viologen (radical cation) - NiR nitrite reductase - PMSF phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate     

Organ growth of selected lines of chickens and their F1 crosses to a common body weight or age

Summary Organ growth of male chickens selected for high and low 56-day body weight and their reciprocal F₁ crosses was compared at a common age (56 days) or at a common body weight (180 g). Organs that differed at a common body weight included weights of proventriculus, small intestine, lungs, feathers and abdominal fat and length of esophagus. Organ weights that differed at a common age included esophagus, gizzard, heart, liver, lungs, breast, legs, feathers and abdominal fat, and lengths of shank, esophagus and small intestine. Heterosis for most organs was less than 15%. Those exhibiting heterosis greater than 30% included weights of fat depots and feathers, plus lengths of the esophagus, small intestine and shank. Heterosis for these traits, however, varied depending on whether comparisons were made at common body weight or age. These results imply that biological functions of organs at specific ages may not reflect the situations at common body weights and suggest differences in resource allocations among populations.     

鲤鳃表面结构扫描电镜研究

鲤的鳃丝表面显示了由三边形一六边形不等的表皮细胞,呈现出各种图案式的结构。     

Extended map for the phaseolin linkage group ofPhaseolus vulgaris L

Summary The linkage relationship of 11 bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seed proteins (including phaseolin), 9 enzyme loci, and theP locus were analyzed in backcross and F₂ progenies by use of the software package Mapmaker. The progenies were obtained by crossing the breeding line XR-235-1 and the cultivar Calima. Allelic differences for seed protein loci were detected with SDS-PAGE and those for enzyme loci with starch gel electrophoresis and activity stains. The seed coat color of Calima is a red/beige mottled pattern and that of XR-235-1 is white. Segregation at theP locus was followed by recording the phenotype of the BC₁S₁ and F₃ seed. A linkage group comprising ca. 90 cM was detected with the following gene order:Est-2 — 11 —Pha — 8 — (Spe/Spg) — 24 — P — 9 — (Spa/Spv) — 16 —Spba — 22 —Mdh-1. In addition, another linkage group was detected: (Spd/Spf/Sph) — 5 -Spca. Therefore, the seed proteins appear to be organized in clusters in the bean genome.Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Journal Series No. R-01131     

Changes of carp myosin subfragment-1 induced by temperature acclimation

Summary Heavy meromyosin subfragment-1 (S1) was prepared by -chymotrypsin from myosin of carp acclimated to either 10°C or 30°C for a minimum of 5 weeks. The objective of these studies was to document thermally-induced changes in the myosin molecule and to extend previous observations. Ca²⁺- and K⁺ (EDTA)-ATPase activities of cold-acclimated carp S1 were 1.1 and 0.8 mol P_i·min^-1·mg^-1, respectively, and these values did not differ significantly from those of warm-acclimated carp. The inactivation rate constant (K_D) of S1 from cold-acclimated carp was 32.1x10^-4· s^-1, compared to 13.2x10^-4·s^-1 for warm-acclimated carp. The maximum initial velocity of acto-S1 Mg²⁺-ATPase activity at pH 7.0 in 0.05 M KCl was 9.3 s^-1 with cold-acclimated carp, about 3.7 times higher than that for warm-acclimated carp. However, no significant difference was observed in the apparent affinity of S1 to actin. Peptides maps of the heavy chain of S1 were different and suggested distinct isoforms for the myosins from warm- and cold-acclimated muscle.Abbreviations ATPase adenosine 5-triphosphatase - DTNB 5,5-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) - DTT dithiothreitol - EDTA ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid - EGTA ethyleneglycol bis (-aminoethylether)-N,N,N,N-tetraacetic acid - K _D inactivation rate constant - K _m apparent dissociation constant - P _i inorganic -phosphate - PMSF phenylmethane-sulfonyl fluoride - S ₁ heavy meromyosin subfragment-1 - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - SDS-PAGE SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - TPCK N-tosyl-l-phenylalanyl chloromethyl ketone - V _max maximum initial velocity